Higher Education 4.0 Symposium

& Exhibition 2024

DATE: Thursday 21st March 2024

TIME: 10am – 3pm

VENUE: Hume Hall, Atlantic Technological University, Sligo Campus

Theme: Moving from Higher Education 4.0 to Society 5.0

At this event we will look at what type of society we are building for future generations, the role that education, employers and policy makers have to play, and as technology advances at a rapid pace what role will human skills have to play in Society 5.0

Keynote Speakers

Professor George Siemens
Professor George Siemens is a leading expert in AI and a founding President of the Society for Learning Analytics Research (http://www.solaresearch.org/). He has advised government agencies in Australia, the European Union, and the United States, as well as numerous international universities, on digital learning and utilizing learning analytics for assessing and evaluating productivity gains in the education sector and improving learner results. In 2008 he pioneered massive open online courses (sometimes referred to as MOOCs). His current projects include Global Research Alliance for AI in Learning and Education (GRAILE – www.graile.ai) and SenseAI focus on analysing how AI is deployed in learning and knowledge settings and the leadership capabilities needed to enable and support this work.

Associate Professor Deirdre Hughes OBE
Deirdre Hughes specialises in careers, employment and skills policies, research and practice at an international, national and regional level. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Warwick, Institute for Employment Research (IER) and Founding Director of CareerChat (UK) Ltd – a pioneering technology start-up company focused on career exploration and the effective use of artificial intelligence (AI). She is also Managing Director of dmh associates – an independent research and consultancy company. Some selected examples of her current research include harnessing AI and large language models (LLMS) to support career exploration; community places and online spaces for all-age careers support, career-related learning in primary schools, and collaborative research in Canada, Wales and Scotland on career development and wellbeing issues.

Explore some of the outputs of the Higher Education 4.0 project with our engaging and interactive exhibition featuring:

  • MyCareerPath.ie
  • ATU MakerSpace
  • Strengths Path Programme
  • Social Robotics
  • Recognition of Prior Learning
  • VR Courtroom
  • Innovation Tools for Access Programmes
  • MOOCs
  • Adaptive learning, Project based learning and more.

Agenda

10.00am Registration, Tea, Coffee

10.30am Welcome Address

11.00am Keynote Speaker Deirdre Hughes
Title: Navigating the Future: Higher Education 4.0 in the Era of Society 5.0
Followed by Panel discussion featuring leaders in Education, Policy and Industry

12.00pm Explore Exhibition Stands, visit the new Maker Space and Break for Lunch

2.00pm Keynote Speaker George Siemens
Title: The Impact of AI on Education, addressing challenges and opportunities.
Followed by conversation with Noel Mulkeen, Higher Education 4.0 Innovation Projects Manager, and Q&A.

2.45pm Closing Statements

About Higher Education 4.0

Higher Education 4.0 (HE 4.0) is an ambitious, innovative, and collaborative project from the Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Ireland. Supported by the Human Capital Initiative under Pillar 3. The project has focused on creating agile pathways to and through Higher Education and employment supported by innovation teaching methods and technologies.

For further information contact: Áine Friel, Higher Education 4.0 Communications and Dissemination Officer aine.friel@atu.ie